adens's Blog

The phallus as a symbol of fertility dates back more than 10.000 years to the end of the Stone Age.

From this period onward it was worshipped in ancient Rome, Egypt, Greece, and Babylon, for example. Festivals were organized to commemorate this symbol and with it the associated historical figures and Gods such as Hermes, Priapus, and Biggus Dickus.

If you look up some of the paintings of those gentlemen, you would be surprised at how… exaggerated their penises are. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that they were the real OGs of dick pics. Many architectural structures, works of art, and domestic items were designed in this particular shape as well and belong to the subcategory of phallic architecture.

Eventually, the linga, as the imageries are also known, found their way into the Indonesian, Indian, Japanese, and Thai culture, amongst others, where they still exist as symbols of fertility and good luck.

The fertility shrines are yet another example of how the everyday lives of Thais are not only influenced by Buddhism but also by Hindu and Animistic iconography and practices. For example, the phallus, in this case, is closely associated with the Hindu God Shiva, whereas the spirit houses are rooted in Animism.